As many of you know I'm embarking on a culinary adventure to the land of pasta - finally back to the mecca of deliciousness, here we go! - beginning in Florence and traveling to the assorted Mediterranean island, Tuscan countryside, and medieval towns Siena, etc. How appropriately timed that I recently read Elizabeth Gilbert's memoir Eat, Pray, Love in which she travels to Italy, India, and Bali (my fantasy in a nutshell) to do just that and in Italy she - surprise, surprise - EATS! My plan, likewise. Of course in the pursuit of epicurean exploration I aim to try new foods that have yet to grace my tongue, pull an Anthony Bourdain and venture in the pursuit of the most authentic regional cuisine, the culinary epitome that is Tuscany. And what better place to do it in, really?
In addition to the obvious trifecta - pasta, pizza, gelatto - I intend to experience those dishes that are most classically Tuscan, sampling the specialties of each place I visit. I begin in Firenze, which is known for its excellent meats, including the more exotic-seeming boar, rabbit, and deer. The staple of Floretine cuisine, of course, is the bistecca Fiorentina, which they serve thick and "al sangue" (rare), just the way I like it. I will also embark upon the trippa experience - tripe - and may even venture to try the fegato, chicken liver typically served on crostinis. The classic Italian meal begins with the antipasti, in Tuscany often sliced meats and fresh bread with their infamous olive oil, followed by the primi piatti, zuppa e pasta, and then the secondi, the meat course, with vegetable side dishes and dolce and espresso to finish it off. Not a meal for the weak stomach, the real Italian deal.
When we travel to the island of Elba (as in Napoleon's idyllic exile) my primary culinary concern will be to experience the fresh fish from the Mediterranean. From baccala (cod) to grilled calamari, the seaside restaurants and fresh fish stands will had seafood galore. And of course one must have gelatto on the beach ...
In the Tuscan countryside I look forward to visiting vineyards, and tasting the wine from the famed Chianti region with the equally typical Pecorino cheese varieties. I particularly enjoy the frequent use of white beans in Tuscan cooking, such as white beans with sage-infused olive oil and in riboletta soup, and the emphasis on fresh, local ingredients in the farm-filled region. The seasonal vegetables drive the meals, and everything is cooked in the light extra virgin olive oil, taking on a flavor that's rarely truly replicated anywhere else in the world. Finished with fruit and honey or castagnaccio, sweet chestnut cake, it's no wonder the Tuscans prefer an aperitif to digest after their meal. And I truly cannot wait.
As Eat, Pray, Love suggests, the indulgence of eating pure decadence leads to self rejuvenation, which in turn paves the way for subsequent spiritual and emotional rejuventation as well. In this long-awaited, much-needed vacation I intend to do just that, nourishing the body and then the mind. So cheers to my love affair with food - our relationship is getting serious so we're taking a romantic trip together - and to my own "no carb left behind" journey.
Buon appetito!
In addition to the obvious trifecta - pasta, pizza, gelatto - I intend to experience those dishes that are most classically Tuscan, sampling the specialties of each place I visit. I begin in Firenze, which is known for its excellent meats, including the more exotic-seeming boar, rabbit, and deer. The staple of Floretine cuisine, of course, is the bistecca Fiorentina, which they serve thick and "al sangue" (rare), just the way I like it. I will also embark upon the trippa experience - tripe - and may even venture to try the fegato, chicken liver typically served on crostinis. The classic Italian meal begins with the antipasti, in Tuscany often sliced meats and fresh bread with their infamous olive oil, followed by the primi piatti, zuppa e pasta, and then the secondi, the meat course, with vegetable side dishes and dolce and espresso to finish it off. Not a meal for the weak stomach, the real Italian deal.
When we travel to the island of Elba (as in Napoleon's idyllic exile) my primary culinary concern will be to experience the fresh fish from the Mediterranean. From baccala (cod) to grilled calamari, the seaside restaurants and fresh fish stands will had seafood galore. And of course one must have gelatto on the beach ...
In the Tuscan countryside I look forward to visiting vineyards, and tasting the wine from the famed Chianti region with the equally typical Pecorino cheese varieties. I particularly enjoy the frequent use of white beans in Tuscan cooking, such as white beans with sage-infused olive oil and in riboletta soup, and the emphasis on fresh, local ingredients in the farm-filled region. The seasonal vegetables drive the meals, and everything is cooked in the light extra virgin olive oil, taking on a flavor that's rarely truly replicated anywhere else in the world. Finished with fruit and honey or castagnaccio, sweet chestnut cake, it's no wonder the Tuscans prefer an aperitif to digest after their meal. And I truly cannot wait.
As Eat, Pray, Love suggests, the indulgence of eating pure decadence leads to self rejuvenation, which in turn paves the way for subsequent spiritual and emotional rejuventation as well. In this long-awaited, much-needed vacation I intend to do just that, nourishing the body and then the mind. So cheers to my love affair with food - our relationship is getting serious so we're taking a romantic trip together - and to my own "no carb left behind" journey.
Buon appetito!
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